Longtime New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner died on July 13, 2010, at the age of 80 after suffering a massive heart attack. Steinbrenner was rushed to a Tampa, Florida, hospital on the evening of July 12, 2010, where he was listed in critical condition. Hours later, rumors began to circulate that Steinbrenner had died, including a report from TMZ.com.http://www.tmz.com/2010/07/13/report-george-steinbrenner-dies-dead-new-york-yankees-owner-baseball-heart-attack-tampa/ The death was later confirmed by the Associated Press, citing a source close to the family.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/13/AR2010071302117.html

After his passing, Steinbrenner's family released a statement saying, "It is with profound sadness that the family of George M. Steinbrenner III announces his passing. He passed away this morning in Tampa, Fla., at age 80." Arrangements for a private funeral and public memorial service were not immediately announced.http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5375561

Prior to the hospitalization, "The Boss" celebrated his 80th birthday on July 4, 2010, by visiting the Yankees training complex in Tampa.http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5375561 The news of Steinbrenner's passing came just days after the death of Bob Sheppard, a longtime public-address announcer for the Yankees.http://sports.espn.go.com/newyork/mlb/news/story?id=5371428

Steinbrenner purchased the New York Yankees for a reported $10 million in 1973 from CBS. In the decades since, Steinbrenner served as a hands-on owner, funding the team and the many high-profile players that made up the team's roster. This began with the signing of Catfish Hunter to a five year contract in 1974. The annual salary averaged to be over $700,000 per season, easily the highest amount at that time. Two years later, Steinbrenner signed Reggie Jackson to a five year contract.

These free agent signings led to back-to-back World Series titles in 1977 and 1978. But Steinbrenner's menacing meddling of the team led to a period of 18 seasons in which the organization did not win a world championship. Also during this time, Steinbrenner's popularity with fans declined. This was never more evident than when it was announced during a game at Yankee Stadium that he was given a lifetime suspension for his involvement in the Dave Winfield-Howie Spira incident. Fans in the ballpark gave the announcement a standing ovation.

After serving three years away from the sport, he was reinstated in 1993. This next tenure of his active ownership saw him allow his baseball personnel to make the baseball decisions. As a result, the Yankees rose to prominence yet again, winning four World Series titles in a five years span from 1996 through 2000. The team made numerous playoff appearances during the first decade of the new millennium, but failed to win another world championship until 2009.

Under Steinbrenner's ownership, the Yankees won the World Series seven times and the American League pennant 11 times.http://www.baseball-almanac.com/articles/george_steinbrenner_biography.shtml

In 2006, Steinbrenner retired from the Yankees, handing over operations of the team to sons Hank and Hal Steinbrenner.http://www.baseball-almanac.com/articles/george_steinbrenner_biography.shtml He spent most of his time in Florida, rarely making public appearances. Less than two months before his death, Steinbrenner appeared at a dedication ceremony for a Florida high school named in his honor.http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/may/17/steinbrenner-attends-dedication-school-bearing-his/